Deathly Hallows Chapter 29

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

It’s Thanksgiving week here in the States, and I’m feeling very thankful that you’re all still reading these sporks. I know it’s been a rough road through that long and painful second act. I think we’ve hit the third act now, and and we’ll be getting some payoffs any chapter now. Annoying payoffs, to be sure, but still….

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me.

The Lost Diadem

So, the title of this chapter is “The Lost Diadem.” I wonder what that last Horcrux will turn out to be….?

As Neville goes through group hugs, Harry notes that, in addition to his gashes, Neville is also sporting a black eye and a general “unkemptness.” Harry deduces that Neville has been “living rough.” That’s because Neville is a Gryffindor. Had he been a goblin, Harry would probably have chalked it up to bloodthirstiness. And swarthy-ness.

The Trio ask about his injuries, but Neville is too badass to discuss it… yet. He informs “Ab” the bar man that he should expect a bunch of people to Apparate into the bar that night. Then, like the perfect gentleman that he is, he gives his hand to Hermione to help her into the tunnel.

I’ll bet that’s why Ginny only dated him once.

As he leaves, Harry stops to thank Aberforth for saving their lives twice. Wow. Harry thanking someone. That’s so PS/SS. Maybe it was in the outline from the beginning?

Here’s a weird little detail: The tunnel is now lit with brass lamps—whereas in the portrait, it was pitch black.

Neville lets them know that this is the only unguarded passage into Hogwarts. I guess at some point, Harry must have shared with the staff the locations of those secret tunnels. Unless Lupin did it. Anyway, the formerly secret passages are now cursed and guarded by Death Eaters.

Neville pumps them for information about the Gringotts break-in. I find this odd. Recall that Voldemort—the most powerful, connected wizard in Britain only learned about the break-in a couple hours ago, and that by a single, quaking goblin. Yet, Neville knows about the break-in, the dragon, and that it was Harry who planned it.

It guess it just shows that Voldemort is even more isolated than the students at Hogwarts—who wouldn’t be getting any posts until morning.

Maybe I’ve just spent too much time in a tent…

Harry asks about Hogwarts, and Neville starts telling him about all the horrors. Students are supposed to cast Cruciatus on other students for punishment, and Neville got cut for refusing. He got another gash for implying Alecto, the Muggle Studies teacher, had muggle blood. He tells the Trio that he stands up to the teachers to give the other students hope—like Harry used to.

Oh, so when Harry was mouthing off to Snape, that wasn’t him being a brat. That was civil disobedience.

Neville goes on to say that kids with unruly relatives are kidnapped—like Luna.

Sigh. I find this all so depressing. I realize that JKR needs to show the students being brave and resisting and everything… but, for a Snape fan, this is painful on a second reading. We find out later on that Dumbledore did his whole elaborate plan to get Snape the Headmaster position on the understanding that Snape would protect the students.

Frankly, he’s doing a piss-poor job.

We soon find out that Michael Corner was “tortured pretty badly” for freeing a chained-up firstie. And that Neville was in imminent danger being either arrested or killed. This is not the standard of protection that I’d expect from Snape.

I comfort myself with the knowledge that Dumbledore was almost as bad at protecting the students during OotP. And rather worse at it in HBP.

For Good!Draco fans, though, we have a tiny little supporting detail. Neville mentions that the D.A. are still using their magic coins to communicate. Draco knew about those coins (he copied them in order to communicate with Rosmerta in HBP). Yet, he hasn’t told the Carrows or Voldemort about them.

They reach the end of the tunnel, which leads to the Room of Requirement. The dark-paneled area is festooned with multi-colored hammocks. Which sounds to me like the Lost Boys hangout in Peter Pan.

Banners from three of the four Hogwarts houses are hanging on the walls. The Slytherin banner is notably absent. I don’t have a joke for that. I’m just noting it for later.

We find out that Neville rediscovered the room when he was running away from the Carrows. At that time, it held only one hammock and the Gryffindor banner. So, right away, the room figured that a symbol of Gryffindor superiority was called for.

What I can’t really figure out is why the room thought the hammocks were such a great idea. They aren’t a bad idea, but I don’t get how they are better than actual beds.

Seamus pops up (with a bruised and puffy face) to praise Neville for really “getting” the room. Unlike Harry, who spent a year vainly trying to get the damn door open, Neville has created this hideaway by himself. He even got the room to create the tunnel to the Hog’s Head when he wanted food.

Ron breaks in to mention that food is one of the five exemptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration—to “general astonishment.” Are they astonished because they don’t know these exemptions or because Ron has remembered a simple fact of magic? It’s like a dog walking on its hind legs!

Ernie points out the wireless in the room and says that they’ve been listening to Potterwatch. So, I guess that’s how they heard about Gringotts. I still think it’s weird that they knew about it before Voldemort. Most of the Potterwatch people are in hiding, and I would think that the official news outlets would downplay the story.

Of course, the kids want details, but Harry is floored by a Voldie-vision. Voldemort is now at the shack, screaming with fury at an empty box!

With time running out, Harry tries to ditch all the loyalists who have been leading the resistance for nine months. He tells them that the Trio has to… “do something” at Hogwarts and then leave.

This does not go down well with the D.A. Neville demands to know if it’s connected to defeating Voldemort and when Harry says yes, he insists on helping.

This is the best part of the whole book, because Neville is finally giving Harry the dressing down he deserves. “Everyone in this room’s been fighting and they’ve been driven in here because the Carrows were hunting them down. Everyone in here’s proven they’re loyal to Dumbledore—loyal to you.”

Alas, before Neville can follow that up by stabbing Harry in the heart and taking over the mantle of the Chosen One, they are interrupted by Luna and Dean. It turns out that Neville has sent out a general summons and they are just the first two to arrive—for the big show down!

As Harry starts to panic, more people arrive. People he will have to remember the names of! Ginny, the Twins, and Lee Jordan come in, followed by Cho Chang—who is described as Harry’s old girlfriend. Because that’s the only remarkable thing about her. But she immediately goes to sit with Michael Corner, so—thank goodness—that ship is still sailing.

By the way, Michael Corner was really badly tortured, you know. But he’s in Ravenclaw, so his injuries are invisible. Cho certainly doesn’t seem to notice.

Dean came back to fight—even though he doesn’t have a wand. So…. how did he get there? Luna wouldn’t be old enough to Apparate, and she wouldn’t have had any lessons (which started after the Christmas holidays). Oh dear. Continuity.

As Harry tries to explain that the Trio has to work alone, Ron betrays him for the second time in the book by suggesting that maybe the D.A. can help. They don’t have to tell the kids that they are looking for a Horcrux. All they need to do is ask about a Ravenclaw artifact.

Good for Ron for speaking truth to idiocy here. Even Hermione is in agreement.

This is the cue for Harry to turn into Hamlet. To trust or not to trust? That is the question. On one hand, Dumbledore told Harry not to tell anyone. On the other hand, Aberforth punched the old coot in the nose at Ariana’s funeral… what to do? What to do?

Where to start on this idiotic dilemma? First off—Ron isn’t even really suggesting that they trust the students. He’s suggesting telling them the bare minimum in order to get help to find an object that they have no hope of finding otherwise. So… this question of trusting or not trusting is more like… do we trust these people who have been incredibly loyal 5% or do we completely crap on them?

Secondly, what is the point of keeping the quest secret now? So that Voldemort won’t find out? Hey! Guess what! He found out! He’s on his way to kill everyone!

Anyway, Harry makes the momentous decision to trust his friends… sort of. Remember when the big difference between Harry and Voldemort was that Voldemort didn’t have any friends? He just had hangers-on, because he never really trusted anyone?

I’m hard put to tell Harry and Voldemort apart. The biggest difference between them right now is that Harry was never quite stupid enough to go around murdering people in order to put little bits of his soul into knick-knacks.

He asks if anyone knows about an object that might have once belonged to Ravenclaw. Luna mentions the lost diadem and reminds him that she told him about it about a million times now.

Cho Chang mentions that Ravenclaw’s statue up in their common room shows the diadem. She offers to take Harry there to look at it. Whereupon Ginny suddenly grows wings and a beak and rips Cho’s face off. Okay, she doesn’t really. But she totally could, she’s so jealous right now. How appropriate that she goes on to play for the Holyhead Harpies!

Cho sits down again, looking disappointed. She’s probably wondering why she bothered showing up, if this was all she got to contribute to the plot.

Then—finally!—Harry and Luna go off to look for the damn diadem. Well, not exactly for the diadem, but for a replica which might be a useful reference point.

This is slightly complicated by a quirk of the room. The exit into Hogwarts proper is always changing (so that the Carrows can’t find it). So, once Harry and Luna are out of the room, they have to stop while Harry consults his Marauder’s Map and finds out where they are. I guess this is to up the suspense? Or else it’s JKR answering a question that no one would bother to ask. (How come the Carrows never discovered the exit for the Room of Requirement?)

They sneak through the castle and Harry is all a-twitter because Peeves might come along. Granted, that’s a legitimate fear, although I don’t think Peeves is able to see through the cloak.

Finally, they come to the tower and climb its dizzying heights. The door has no handle or keyhole, just a brass eagle-shaped knocker. When Luna knocks, the eagle asks her a riddle. This is a very cool concept, but I could do without the five minutes that Harry and Luna spend discussing how it works.

We are on a schedule, folks. Voldemort! Imminent peril!

Inside, we have a lovely description that I am sure everyone skipped on the first reading. There are arched windows with what would be spectacular views if it weren’t the middle of the night. The ceiling is painted with stars. Lest we were wondering, JKR takes pains to mention that there are tables, chairs, and bookcases. Whew! I was really worried about that.

Harry strides up to a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. She is smiling, but slightly haughty-looking. She is wearing a delicate circlet on the top of her head. Harry notes that it looks like Fleur’s tiara. You know, Luna was in that house when Fleur gave the tiara to Mr. Ollivander. And she was at the wedding where Fleur wore it. Couldn’t she have just told Harry that Ravenclaw’s diadem looked like Fleur’s tiara and saved them this trip?

That would have spared them what happens next, which is that Alecto appears with one of those clever villain speeches, touches her Dark Mark, and summons the Dark Lord!

Cliffhanger!

Fan Service:
Remember all those random kids’ names we memorized when they were sorted? They’re now all showing up!
OMG! Ravenclaw’s object is a tiara! We all guessed that two years ago!

Fan Slappage:
All those millions of fanfics in which Harry defeats Voldemort by drawing on the power of love by engaging his friends? Totally wrong. Those students are mere backdrop.

Oh, and Ravenclaw “coming into its own”? That consists of them saying, “well, Rowena was known for wearing a diadem.”


DVD Extras:
INT: NIGHT –HEADMASTER’S OFFICE

Headmaster Snape is looking through a pile of reports. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore is pacing within his frame.

DUMBLEDORE
He still doesn’t trust you.

SNAPE
Why should he?

DUMBLEDORE
You saved his life. I thought that would do the trick.

SNAPE
(snorting)
He trusted me more before that little scheme.

DUMBLEDORE
Nevertheless…

SNAPE
Face it, Albus. You don’t understand the Slytherin mentality.

There is a knock at the door. Dumbledore jumps into his chair and begins snoring.

SNAPE (cont’d)
Enter.

Draco Malfoy comes in.

DRACO
I have that schedule you requested.

Draco hands over a scroll. Snape immediately begins studying it. Neither makes eye contact with the other.

SNAPE
(waving him to a seat)
Sit down Malfoy. Have you heard anything about that missing student?

DRACO
Longbottom? (He swallows.) No one has seen him for two weeks now. At least, no one that will talk to me.

SNAPE
I see.

He drums his fingers impatiently on the desk.

SNAPE
(cont’d)
Wait here a moment. I need to speak to Professor Carrow.

He sweeps out the door. Draco sits and fidgets. The Portrait of Albus Dumbledore wakes up with an exaggerated yawn.

DUMBLEDORE
(twinkling) Is that little Draco Malfoy?

DRACO
(swallowing)
Yes, sir.

DUMBLEDORE
Well, well! How are you doing this year? Head Boy, I see.

DRACO
Yes. My grades are better than they were last year. I was distracted then… er…

DUMBLEDORE
Busy trying to kill me. I remember.

DRACO
I’m sorry about that, sir. But I didn’t have a choice—

DUMBLEDORE
And this year? Since you succeeded—or certainly did most of the work, I imagine you have a bit more freedom? Your side did win, after all.

DRACO
That’s not how it is. It’s… it’s worse, really. (In a rush:) Last year, Father was in Azkaban, and I thought that was bad. But he’s still a prisoner. And Mother. And no matter what I do, it’s never enough. I’ve done things this year I never thought… were you telling the truth?

DUMBLEDORE
About?

DRACO
You said you could hide us. You said you could hide us where he’d never find us—

DUMBLEDORE
That was when the Order of the Phoenix still existed.

DRACO
(deflated)
Oh.

DUMBLEDORE
Oddly enough, Hogwarts is the still the safest place you could be. Headmaster Snape will protect you to the best of his ability.

DRACO
You trust him? Still? After he killed you?

DUMBLEDORE
I trust him to protect you. Whatever side you are on.

Draco digests that silently.

The door creaks open and Snape returns.

SNAPE
The Dark Lord has instructed the Professors Carrow to guard Ravenclaw Tower. He seems to think that Harry Potter might wish to look for something there.

DRACO
About Longbottom…

SNAPE
Yes?

DRACO
I may have seen… signs of him. In the Room of Requirement. I went into there about a week ago. He wasn’t… there, but there were signs of someone… someone living there.

Their eyes meet for a moment. Then Snape pulls a report closer and begins making unnecessary notes.

SNAPE
Then we needn’t keep looking. I don’t suppose he can get into any mischief in there. You may go.

Draco stands up.

SNAPE (cont’d)
(abruptly) Do you think he’s hungry?

DRACO
I… I wouldn’t know.

SNAPE
I’ll speak to the elves about it. Thank you.

DRACO
Sir.

SNAPE
And Draco? No need to mention this to the Carrows.

DRACO
No, sir. Good night.

SNAPE
Good night.

Draco looks stunned as he turns to go. Snape dips his pen into an inkwell, then sneaks a look up as Draco closes the door.

FADE OUT.

Comments

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

There's something funny about Neville "living rough" in a fully-functioning castle filled with slaves.

I guess we need to remember that Dumbledore wouldn't want "protection" to interfere with the kids getting to be brave. So, you know, a little torture won't hurt anybody. Oh wait. That's exactly what torture does. But doesn't Neville look badass all cut up and unkempt?

I love that the kids are living in hammocks in the RoR. Obviously they asked the room for a place to hide out where it would look like they didn't have all the conveniences of living in the castle. It's a magic room. They could have filled it with as many four-poster beds as they wanted. But they asked for hammocks for atmosphere.

And remember that lacking Slytherin banner when somebody says we're supposed to get that Slytherin students played their part at all in doing anything but hiding or helping the DEs.

That the kids know about the break in is just impossible. But I guess one of those moments that remind us that Patronuses are supposed to be much better than e-mail.

As much as I like Harry's arrogance being pointed out, he's kind of set up here in the way Dumbledore insisted on secrecy when secrecy was always a stupid idea. Lupin was just as correct to demand to be allowed to help as Neville, only Lupin is arbitrarily dismissed by the narrator as being cowardly.

LOL! Cho's Harry's old girlfriend. She kissed him once and they had tea together that time.

Very few houses in Hogwarts are handicap accessible.

And she was at the wedding where Fleur wore it. Couldn’t she have just told Harry that Ravenclaw’s diadem looked like Fleur’s tiara and saved them this trip?

She could have just told Harry that it looks like a diadem and saved them the trip.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

There's something funny about Neville "living rough" in a fully-functioning castle filled with slaves.

I know! And he really didn't have to make that tunnel to the Hog's Head, because he could have just asked for an intercom to the kitchens. The elves would have been happy to sneak him some free food--which would have to be better than whatever stale bread and goat cheese sandwiches Aberforth probably sells.

But that would be cheating, wouldn't it? Like having comfortable beds. And as for those kids living the room.... why? Neville's the only one who really needed to get out of sight. Or has nobody noticed that about thirty kids have disappeared from school?

Umbridge would have totally noticed missing kids.

That the kids know about the break in is just impossible. But I guess one of those moments that remind us that Patronuses are supposed to be much better than e-mail.

It really makes no sense at all. Sure, people would notice the big, showy getaway on the back of a dragon. But would they notice who the tiny little humans were clinging to the dragon's back? The only people who knew the Trio were involved were Griphook, Bogrod, and Travers. The goblins wouldn't be likely to talk openly about the break-in with reporters, and Travers was busy trying to stuff himself into a crack in the wall. It would have taken at least a day to get that story straight and printed--and the post always arrives in the morning.

As much as I like Harry's arrogance being pointed out, he's kind of set up here in the way Dumbledore insisted on secrecy when secrecy was always a stupid idea. Lupin was just as correct to demand to be allowed to help as Neville, only Lupin is arbitrarily dismissed by the narrator as being cowardly.

But before we could at least fanwank (since JKR never uses it as a rationale) that the secrecy would prevent Voldemort from catching on to the Horcrux hunt. Of course, it would have helped if he had known, but that's another quibble. At this point, there's absolutely no reason for secrecy and every need for more eyes to search the castle. It's a raaaace!

LOL! Cho's Harry's old girlfriend. She kissed him once and they had tea together that time.

You're totally forgetting that they flirted when she was trying to cast a spell in the D.A. But, yeah. He spent more time with Peeves than he ever did with Cho.

She could have just told Harry that it looks like a diadem and saved them the trip.

Or drawn a picture, since she's established as being an artist in this book. But this isn't the end of useless information Harry's going to gather about the diadem.

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

>>I guess at some point, Harry must have shared with the staff the locations of those secret tunnels. Unless Lupin did it. <<

Pettigrew. And it's kind of a miracle that anyone even thought to ask him. Because he never volunteers information.

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

Is it also supposed to be vaguely mysterious how it seems that the only kids who are shacked up in the *secret clubhouse* are 6th and 7th years? Ir is Neville just as bad as Harry about scarcely knowing anyone he doesnt have to sit in a classroom with?

Don't any of the kids in the lower years have awkward relatives?

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

"LOL! Cho's Harry's old girlfriend. She kissed him once and they had tea together that time."

Yeah - and she was thinking of Cedric all the way through both events.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Who can blame her? Cedric was easily twice the person Harry was.

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

LOL, that's why he had to die!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I was going to make a joke like "So was Harry" but then I remembered Harry was just irritated by anybody bringing the guy up.

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

LOL! Cho's Harry's old girlfriend. She kissed him once and they had tea together that time.

Um, you're talking about Harry Potter, where people who share one conversation or dance end up getting married

[artystone.livejournal.com]

This chapter is, I believe, where a book that had been growing more and more unpleasant to read became downright torture.
The absolute worst of every character is on display here.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Well, I did like the return of Neville--in fact, I liked all the characters in this chapter with the exception of Harry and Ginny--and maybe Luna.

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the continuity. Didn't Dumbledore say there was no hint anywhere of a Ravenclaw artifact ... and then everyone in Ravenclaw knows about the diadem.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

Well it's hard to keep up with continuity when you've dumped your entire plot line for a Whole New Story!

[lissa2.livejournal.com]

No, in HBP when he explained to Harry about the horcruxes he just told Harry that he wasn't sure if Riddle had made a horcrux out of the Ravenclaw artifact (or out of a Gryffindor artifact that was something other than the sword). But since Riddle made horcruxes out of the Slytherin and Hufflepuff artifacts, it was reasonable to assume that he did. So Harry should search for the Ravenclaw artifact.
He didn't say that he didn't know what the Ravenclaw artifact was, Which makes him look really dumb because- why not share this information with Harry?
It also made Harry look dumb for not asking what the Ravenclaw artifact was.
But why should JKR care she made both of them look like idiots? she wanted to put the lame foreshadowing of the Ravenclaw horcrux in HBP and that's all that mattered.

[the-bitter-word.livejournal.com]

He tells the Trio that he stands up to the teachers to give the other students hope—like Harry used to.

I think this reference was to Umbridge, who, unlike Snape, retaliated in the worst way when Harry disagreed or talked back. Even so, thanks, Neville, for reminding us that Harry is the beacon of hope and the highest standard of behavior for all wizardkind.

Dumbledore did his whole elaborate plan to get Snape the Headmaster position on the understanding that Snape would protect the students... Frankly, he’s doing a piss-poor job.

Was protecting the students really a stated goal? Funny Dumbledore didn't seem that concerned when he was Headmaster (although he said this was his hightest priority). We had paralyzed students, missing students (Ginny and Montague), a poisoned student, a dead student. All of these seemed to bother Snape more than Dumbledore, but now we know he was really worried for Harry's survival -- right? Of course, the only one Dumbledore seemed to care about was Harry, and then only in an "you're amazing to have survived, let me bask in your glory, can you do it again?" kind of way.

I think Dumbledore wanted Snape to be Headmaster so he could continue to browbeat him with cryptic orders and keep an eye on him. I think Neville showed such wear because, like a true Gryffindor hoping to emulating The Chosen One, Neville just had to get up in the Death Eaters' faces and mock them. As for the Cruciated students and the severity of Michael Corner's injuries, it's a case of tell, don't show. Frankly, if Neville's statements hadn't come up on boards, I would have forgotten they existed.

I think Snape probably did the best job he could under the circumstances. Luna wasn't snatched at school, Ginny wasn't black-eyed and battered, Michael Corner was calm and in one piece in the ROR, the students weren't obviously quaking. They were able to rally very quickly ... of course, it was Harry that motivated them.

What I don't get is, if the Twins were able to drive Umbridge to distraction with a little swamp and fireworks, why can't the rebel students wage a similar campaign against the immensely thick Carrows? Besides saving other students by hiding them away, what exactly are those rebels doing? Camping in the Room of Requirement until Harry Potter showed up?

The Slytherin banner is notably absent. I don’t have a joke for that. I’m just noting it for later.

Duly noted.

What I can’t really figure out is why the room thought the hammocks were such a great idea.

Gryffindors, roughing it, camping... camping.

Ron has remembered a simple fact of magic? It’s like a dog walking on its hind legs!

Groan.

I’m hard put to tell Harry and Voldemort apart.

You and me both. I wrote a fic about it once, with Harry as a cult leader, obsessed with his "mission" and detached from his followers. It practically wrote itself.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me.

Thank you for making my week, every week! I'll be sorry to see these recaps end.

And, wonderful deleted scene. If only...

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I think this reference was to Umbridge, who, unlike Snape, retaliated in the worst way when Harry disagreed or talked back.

I guess. The thing is, Harry didn't do the bulk of the talking back to Umbridge. Hermione was doing that--and the only reason it was Harry getting tortured was that Umbridge was targeting him on Fudge's behalf. But really... why wasn't she putting Hermione in detention, too? Maybe Hermione managed to stay just inside the line of proper student behavior.

Was protecting the students really a stated goal?

I haven't actually looked at that chapter in ages, but I seem to recall Dumbledore mentioning that as something Snape promised to do--which is why Dumbledore gives him the honor of murdering Dumbledore.

**The Slytherin banner is notably absent. I don’t have a joke for that. I’m just noting it for later.

Duly noted.

I note your noting. :)

[the-bitter-word.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall Dumbledore mentioning that as something Snape promised to do...

Naturally, I looked it up in The Prince's Tale (http://www.snapecanonsite.com/deathlyhallows.htm#119684886):

"And if it [Hogwarts] does fall into his grasp," said Dumbledore, almost, it seemed, as an aside, "I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?"

Snape gave a stiff nod.

So, Dumbledore has to ask for Snape's word, because when has Snape ever thought about anyone but himself, or been vigilant about protecting students, or done anything without Dumbledore plotting it in advance? Like Snape's going to say "Get Longbottom on that; I'll be learning to fly." Maybe that's what the stiff nod meant, or maybe it was whiplash due to Dumbledore's changing the subject "as an aside" and insulting him by making him give his word. (I was so flabbergasted, I posted without finishing the sentence.)

And, as you note, Snape seems to not have done a bang-up job of protecting the students, giving us yet another highlight of his failure as a person. Argh.

There's a reason I don't re-read the books, even this chapter.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Wow. I did NOT remember that it was "an aside."

I really misinterpreted that line as meaning that protecting the students was a priority for Dumbledore. But it's an aside...

He didn't really a crap about anyone but Harry, did he?

You know what this means? Rita Skeeter was RIGHT!

p.s. Love that icon.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

Well honestly, consider Dumbledore's record (see above) when the place hadn't been taken over by DE's and Snape still probably comes out ahead.
"Get Longbottom on that; I'll be learning to fly."

ROFLMAO

See this is the problem. This entire volume was a completely different story. Nothing that happened in it had anything to do with anything that went before. This was SO a 6-book series. As far as I'm concerned the HP saga ended with HBP.

[the-bitter-word.livejournal.com]

I plan to put it up on AO3 sometime around the New Year. It's AU obviously, written around the time HBP was released. It's on DW, too, but not public. I'm not sure why I did that.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

LOL I was just thinking, "wow I have been out of the fandom a long time!"

[the-bitter-word.livejournal.com]

[Back from an epic Amtrak journey -- wires stolen out of switching boxes for the copper, cars stalled out on crossings, fires near the tracks, entire train quarantined for contaminated drinking water. Not as memorable as a trip the person next to me had, where the train ran over two people, killing them, and a third was found dead in the toilet.]

AO3: Archive of Our Own (http://archiveofourown.org/)
DW: Dreamwidth (http://www.dreamwidth.org/)

[sunnyskywalker]

I remember missing most of the problems with this chapter the first time around because I was so happy to see someone (ie Neville) actually caring about his fellow students and trying to help them. Harry disbands his resistance group when he doesn't need it anymore (he thinks...), but Neville starts one when it inconveniences him (what with the cuts and all) and trades on the little protection he has from being pureblood to take the heat off other students. I'm willing to overlook his "Harry will save us" temporarily for that. He'll probably grow out of it.

I don't understand how they were not running rings around the Carrows, though. Or why there weren't, say, half-blood Slytherins (and don't tell me there aren't a few - just no way) trying to make contact with the Hogwarts Resistance and join up or at least hide out. Surely we could have had the one token green-and-silver hammock at the very least?

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

You're right that Neville is a much-needed breath of fresh air. And, even if he's a bit "Harry will save us," he obviously wasn't waiting to be saved as much as waiting to really fight back.

I think the absence of Slytherins in the RoR has to do with them being favored by the Carrows (as well as trusting to their Snape connection to get them through). Draco's the only one who has really seen Voldemort up close and knows that how little being favored means. And we do have the inference that Draco is trying to help the Resistance--at least he's not actively working against them.

The kind of insurrection that was waged during the Umbridge reign probably isn't possible under the Carrows. Umbridge was somewhat restrained by her loyalty to the Ministry. She didn't want to appear to be torturing the students--so she picked for her targets students that she sensed wouldn't tell on her. That was pretty canny on her part.

The Carrows are barely restrained by a respect for pure blood. I like what you say about Neville using his pure blood status to push as much as he could. And you're right that he did exactly the opposite of what Harry did with the D.A. That's why Neville is admirable as a leader while Harry sucks at it.

I think it's pretty hilarious just how much Harry sucks at leading people--especially since Dumbledore got all apologetic about not making him a prefect. Thank goodness he didn't! It was bad enough when Harry was Captain of the Quidditch--a post that either Katie (who apparently understood a few important principles of running a team) or Ron (who managed the team much better when Harry wasn't around) would have excelled in.

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

The Carrows are barely restrained by a respect for pure blood. I like what you say about Neville using his pure blood status to push as much as he could.

Not really. Given that people used to say he was "almost a Squib" and then got much better at magic, it could make sense for him to be one of those magic-thieves the Ministry was going on about.

[sunnyskywalker]

But that magic-thief stuff was so months ago! Do you really expect anyone in the WW to remember it?

Now, if that had actually been incorporated into the story instead of tacked on for one mention, Neville would have had extra motivation to find a hideout.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

Didn't we all wait for a token decent Slytherin student or two? I mean, JKR says there are decent Slyths...silly me, it's tell-don't-show-time again, isn't it?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

It's don't show don't tell...until an interview if somebody demands it.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

Which brings us back to The Absent Editor(s). It's (part of) *their* bloody job to ask those pesky why? how? and WTF?? questions at MS stage. Or even planning stage, for a series. Also, they should inform the author that instead of showing the intended X, she shows Y.

[augelpal.livejournal.com]

So, right away, the room figured that a symbol of Gryffindor superiority was called for.

Oh, be fair. ;) Neville was the only student in the room at the time.

It's not as though he'd ask for a Ravenclaw banner 'cause remember: He's still too dumb for that house. But nor would he any longer feel the need to ask for a Hufflepuff one because he has since graduated from that level of duffery. I am sure he did, however, request a Slytherin banner to be hung in the restroom so that everyone could piss on it after getting drunk on Ab's mead.



What I can’t really figure out is why the room thought the hammocks were such a great idea. They aren’t a bad idea, but I don’t get how they are better than actual beds.

Until the girls showed up, I'd say it was a great idea.

Can you imagine them sleeping on the same sheets and pillowcases night after night without ever having washed their hair??

GREASE BOMB!



Cho Chang mentions that Ravenclaw’s statue up in their common room shows the diadem. She offers to take Harry there to look at it. Whereupon Ginny suddenly grows wings and a beak and rips Cho’s face off.

If before I wanted to bash Ginny's nose up into her brain with the heel of my hand, now I just want to set fire to that fire-red hair of hers.

You know how awesome that scene shoulda coulda woulda been? Now that Harry has matured has grown manly stubble and that Cho has had some time away from him, maybe for once they might've had a decent conversation together. But no.

Then again, even if Rowling had written that scene, it most assuredly would have sucked ass through a straw.

I also love the not-so-subtle dig at Luna Ginny manages to work in here.

Oh no! That slut Cho is going to run off with Harry and he'll totally shag her in a niche somewhere and completely forget about me! Who knows who was better at kissing? She was older than I was at the time... Oh shit. Uh. UH... Wait. Who here would be the least threat to my position with Harry? Well, besides Hermione. Hmm. Hmm... I GOT IT.

"[Ginny] said rather fiercely, /No, Luna will take Harry, won't you, Luna?/"

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I still don't get why Ginny is jealous of Cho at all. It couldn't have been more obvious by the end of OotP that Harry had had enough of Cho's wet kisses.

[augelpal.livejournal.com]

But wait. Isn't that the way all women behave? Spite and raeg everytime your guy's prior squeeze comes within twenty feet of him?

I think we're supposed to think her her jealousy of Cho is endearing and spunky or whatever crap gets said to excuse Ginny's cattiness.

It also shows just how underdeveloped the Harry/Ginny 'ship really is if she believes he would go off with his "ex" — the one you've established he has no romantic feelings for anymore — the first chance he got. Especially in a time of crisis!

[artystone.livejournal.com]

But wait. Isn't that the way all women behave? Spite and raeg everytime your guy's prior squeeze comes within twenty feet of him?

Why yes, how else can we prove our Lurve is Troo?

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

Remember Ginny is also jealous of an eleven year old child having a crush on her seventeen year old boyfriend. She's just that pathetic and petty (I'm a woman, I know that's what we're like!)
Shows her priorities in battle time (and Cho's too, obviously, since she's set up her to look pathetic by being 'disappointed' - she's clearly realised what a catch she's lost in Harry, the guy who basically mocked her grief. Of course, he treats Ginny much better, by ignoring her's.), too, of course.

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

You mean, Cho's wet KISS. Unless I'm forgetting something?!

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

--- “Neville is also sporting a black eye and a general “unkemptness.” Harry deduces that Neville has been “living rough.”

Yes Harry, Neville has actually been fighting the man. Your injuries have been due to your own stupidity -(Nagini/Diving with a Horcrux). Study Neville well – that’s what a hero looks like.

---“ I’ll bet that’s why Ginny only dated him once.”

Didn’t she dump Dean because he was too attentive? If it’s the selfish, thoughtless type she fancies, she’s lucked out with Harry! All the better to make you even more jealous, you mad, fire tressed shrew. Also, don’t be fooled by Harry showing some basic manners, the real Harry will emerge very shortly – just ask Carrow...

Maybe Super-Neville instantly conjured up the lights once he realised Harry was coming, to ensure that their Saviour didn’t trip? I like Neville, old and new, but his improved performance in the DA in OotP didn’t make the sudden transition anymore believable.

--- “Maybe the Goblins tried to put off telling V as long as possible – drawing straws etc. Meanwhile a House Elf – they can sneak in everywhere - told the Potterwatch crew. Obviously, I mean a different House Elf...

That said, why are they looking/sleeping rough when they have House Elves? Why build a silly tunnel when they could trust Dobby (sob) at least not to betray them, whilst getting them in and out of the castle? It's even worse than the Trio not using them. The failure to use the House Elves in this book is inexplicable.

---“ Of course, the kids want details, but Harry is floored by a Voldie-vision. Voldemort is now at the shack, screaming with fury at an empty box!”

So create another one, hide it in an anonymous spot then go kill Harry. In fact, while you’re at it, leave Nagini with Lucius at Malfoy Manor (seeing as he apparently doesn’t even have a wand) before you go. It can’t be a coincidence, they must suspect – no need to very slowly check all the others. This should have been a time of gradually rising tension, but I just couldn’t get into this part of the story, because everyone was so out of character and foolish. I really wanted several of them to die, especially Harry and Ginny, which was perhaps the wrong attitude.

---“ Dean came back to fight—even though he doesn’t have a wand. So…. how did he get there? Luna wouldn’t be old enough to Apparate”

Dean took the train – apparently quicker than a dragon. Luna came by Thestral.

---“ Harry was never quite stupid enough to go around murdering people in order to put little bits of his soul into knick-knacks.”

Why bother? Unlike Voldemort, Harry can rise from the dead!

The Extras were spot on – if you had to come up with one word to describe Dumbles (and I’m sure we all have several) it would be manipulative.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Didn’t she dump Dean because he was too attentive?

Exactly. I don't think many people ship Neville and Ginny, since it was so obvious that Ginny was only really interested in Harry. But frankly, I thought Neville treated her a hell of a lot better than Harry did--even after Harry married her.

It's Neville who asks her to the dance before she gets all flowery and hawt. And it's Neville who includes her in the D.A. leadership and lets her take risks if she wants to. And he stays friends with her even though she's dating all these other boys.

But Harry, while attracted to her, never seems to connect to her as a person.

In fact, while you’re at it, leave Nagini with Lucius at Malfoy Manor (seeing as he apparently doesn’t even have a wand) before you go.

Hehe. But that would be sensible!

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

But she doesn't deserve Neville. Remember she asked him to the ball, and made it very clear that she was only with him so that she could get in? He was unworthy of her hair.

[lissa2.livejournal.com]

"But frankly,I thought Neville treated her a hell of a lot better than Harry did"
I agree, he treated her like she was truly his equal and unlike Harry, he had no problem fighting side by side with her.
Neville called her to take part in the battle while Harry thought "he had never been less pleased to see her".

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I do love Neville, too. And I think he was the character who was served best by the books, in that it feels like his achievements and our affection for him are the most earned. I think that's why almost everyone likes the Neville storyline.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I also hated the smackdown on first and subsequent readings. It's just so idiotic and distracting. I mean, Voldemort's on his way, Harry needs to find the freaking Horcrux, and nobody has time to be stupid and territorial.

It's sort of like Hermione randomly telling Harry in HBP how "fanciable" he is. That's not an assessment you want your characters to make about the hero. That's something you want the readers to fill in for you.

But the personal character issue distraction is only going to get worse in the next chapter.

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

---"So when Hermione (or JKR through Hermione) is telling us how hot Harry is , or Dumbledore going on about how noble Harry is, my thoughts are along the lines of "no, he isn't really"."

Yes.

I'm not as fierce as some on the 'show, don't tell' thing, but when it came to characterization JKR really needed to demonstrate rather than inform. In the HP series, we were constantly told things about people who then went and behaved in the EXACT OPPOSITE manner. That just made it impossible to believe in them. Ginny, we were frequently told, was wonderful because she was (suddenly) pretty and confident - yet she acted like a complete cow, which isn't wonderful at all.

As you said, we were always being told that Harry was desirable (ha!) or noble (oh please) and driven by love. Yet he acted like a far less competent (early) Voldemort. He was petulant, selfish, tiresome, stupid and charisma free. You'd have to be a fame whore to be interested in him - step forward Romilda Vane, totally believable. Cho was on the rebound, Ginny was a plot device. Hermione also suffered from this. The totally convincing uptight swot was replaced by an all knowing, desirable heroine - or that's how she was described. Yet she came across as a sociopath if you looked at how she behaved. The foolish Mary Sue sub-plot of Viktor Krum in Goblet of Fire was the beginning of the end for her.

Poor old Ron was the only one who actually seemed to face the consequences for his (far less serious) mistakes out of the four. It's not suprising that, despite all JKR's efforts, he's the only one I still like.

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

I may not be posting much these days, end of semester, penultimate semester and classes with homework more than last semester being the cause, but I'm enjoying these recaps and the DVD extras. Thanks for slogging through this mess for us!

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're enjoying. Thanks for posting and letting me know!

[oryx_leucoryx]

Sigh. I find this all so depressing. I realize that JKR needs to show the students being brave and resisting and everything… but, for a Snape fan, this is painful on a second reading. We find out later on that Dumbledore did his whole elaborate plan to get Snape the Headmaster position on the understanding that Snape would protect the students.

Frankly, he’s doing a piss-poor job.

Actually he's doing such a job that the DEs had to wait for Luna to get to King's Cross to abduct her. No student was taken from the castle, the grounds or Hogsmeade (I bet all those in serious danger were under house-arrest indoors) all year.

If you want to see what Severus may have done for the students, see Terri's To Do All in my Power and Headmaster Snape. The latter is a WIP that is canon compliant through winter, goes AU in spring when 2 Slytherin students join the rebels in the Room of Requirement. Terri's Severus limits the ability of the Carrows to inflict direct damage, drugs the students into examining their beliefs, hides Muggle-borns in the Forbidden Forest, holds a dueling club where students learn to fight but holds them responsible for injuries they inflict, squashes bullying among students and much more.